Even though The Chicago Teachers College North was established to train
teachers, their mission was about to change to include other degrees as well.

In March of 1964, The Illinois Board of Higher Education
recommended that the state acquire the college. This came as no surprise to most
people, because the State of Illinois was providing the lionís share of the
financing to the college since 1951. Most people felt this move was
reasonable. Dean Willis, The General Superintendent of The Chicago Board
of Education, however, was reluctant.

While many approved of the plan to turn the college over to state hands, it
was Dean Cook who was most fervent about it. Cook, like so many others, had
grown aggravated over Willisí stone-walling tactics. It was common for Cook to
stand up in faculty meetings and read letters that he had sent to Willis. After
he had read them, he would hold them up, drop them and say, "I received no
answer!"

At first, Willis did not take a public position against the school being
turned over to the state, but he was said to hold "a negative
attitude". The negative attitude could have stemmed from Willisí fear
that the college would no longer place the same emphasis on creating grade
school teachers for the Chicago Public Schools. He did publicly state that if
the Chicago Board of Education lost control of the school, it would inevitably
lead to increased costs for students who wished to enroll in a teachers college.

In an attempt to reveal the merits and demerits of the proposal, Dr.
Robert Havighurst, a distinguished scholar from The University of Chicago was
asked to do a study. He found some very compelling reasons for the school to be
handed over to the state.

Willis eventually went on the record as agreeing with many of the suggestions
put forth in the Havighurst report, and even told how a 1956 report suggested
many of the same improvements.

In the end, it may have been Willisí own arguments that contributed to the
decision of the Chicago Board to concur with the recommendation of the Illinois
Board of Higher Education. In a special meeting on February 17, the members
voted seven to two to recommend the state plan and to take position of the
college. Shortly after that, the school would be renamed Illinois State Teachers
College. To learn more, go to The Northeastern Illinois
University Page.